Keeping Cats Out of Gardens
MCAS recommends only bringing sick or injured cats to our shelter. We recognize that nuisance behaviors are valid and concerning, and we want to help you resolve them effectively and humanely, meeting your needs, and for the wellbeing of the cats.
Many nuisance behaviors are caused by intact cats seeking mates and territory. Trap Neuter Return (TNR) can often reduce nuisance behaviors including fighting, spraying, yowling, and most importantly- prevent ongoing litters of kittens.
Helpful tips to keep cats out of your garden
Texture
Cats prefer gardens with soft, dry dirt or sand. Anything pointy or bristly will help deter them. Some things people have used in or on dirt:
- pine cones
- stone mulch
- plastic carpet runner, spikey side up
- chicken wire over top of dirt
- plastic forks, tines up
- chop sticks
- plastic plant stakes
- cedar mulch covered with pine mulch and straw
- plastic netting
- burlap coffee sacks
- straw mulch
- egg shells
- small branches saved from pruning (insert in soil at random angles)
Scent
There are a number of safe, nontoxic scents that cats don’t like and will tend to avoid:
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- dry mustard powder
- coffee grounds (ask for free grounds at your local cafe)
- used tea leaves
- orange peels
- Nature’s Wisdom Orange Oil Concentrate
- Shake-Away (cat repellant granules)
- U Scram Cat Deterrent
- fox urine
- plants: Coleus canin (scaredy cat plant), lavender, rue, geranium, lemon thyme
- essential oils (mix 1 part oil with 3 parts water and spray mulch or fabric strips): citronella, orange, lemongrass, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, anise
- Note: Despite what you may see on other web sites, mothballs are toxic to pets, people and the environment. Bloodmeal, bonemeal and fish meal may also be toxic to pets if ingested. Please do not use these items.
Water
Motion-activated sprinkler (Scarecrow, Havahart etc.)
High Tech
- Cat fencing (spiky strips for the top of fences)
- Cat Stop --or-- StayAway --or-- CatScram ultrasonic cat deterrent (other brands available also)
Reverse Psychology
- Build a sandbox to lure cats away from where you don’t want them. (This will help contain the mess in one location.)
- Plant catnip in a location where you would prefer cats to be.
